Monday, August 27, 2007

Farewell my friend

I was all set to update my blog, with some observations from my vacation on how switching off is really important to your health AND your business.

Little did I know that hours after writing the piece, I would learn that a friend and colleague had died. Further emphasizing to me, that we all have to live for the moment as who knows what tomorrow will bring.

I can’t say Val’s death was unexpected, it wasn’t. She’d been waging her own war against breast cancer for four years now but I guess I thought and selfishly hoped she had longer.

Last year she participated on our team for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer and although she was by this time walking with a cane, she was bound and determined to be with us as much as she could. In fact there were times when we were concerned that she was doing too much, but such was her tenacity that she walked much further than any of us thought possible. What I remember most was her smiling face, glowing with pride as we walked over the finish line.

Val, we will miss you. None of us are walking this year, but next year, the Chicks out Walking team will be back in force, and thinking of you every step of the way as we raise funds in your memory.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Mompreneurs - A winning combination

Recently I have had the opportunity to connect with several mompreneurs. It is exciting to see how they have been able to combine running their businesses with raising their children.

Several had identified a need because of their own experiences and started to develop a product or service to help fill the gap. Others have turned their talents into opportunities to work from home, so they are there for their children during these crucial years.

I congratulate them on their wisdom and their conviction that they are on the right path – because it takes courage to break away from the corporate track and start out on your own.

Many of these mompreneurs have been nominated for the Mompreneur of the Year Award, and as I read their profiles, I found myself hoping that they are reading them too, as I could see the potential of some great strategic alliances if they connected with one another.

And it is a small world. Now I always knew that but as I connected with the women, several times I found we had something in common – be it people or our paths. All of which goes to emphasize how important it is that we stay connected, that we support each other and that we build our community of women because together we are strong.